Legendary Customer Service!

How do you assess your Current Customer Service Level?

For a quick check you can use a list of “Key Questions for Measuring if Your Customer Service Measures Up” by Bob Prosen, author of Kiss Theory Good Bye:

Do we:
1. Consistently under promise and over deliver?
2. Resolve customer problems quickly?
3. Take all customer feedback seriously?
4. Have a process in place to reduce problem recurrence?
5. Consistently measure customer loyalty and improve results?
6. Know what each person at the company must do to maintain a loyal customer base?
7. Continually explain ongoing value to existing customers?

Companies are laying out the “red-carpet” for their customers with mantras like “Create Customer Delight”, “Exceed Customer Expectations”, “Total Satisfaction”, “Wowing the customer”.

Yet, Customer Dissatisfaction is at an all time high!

Customer Service Excellence is the de-facto standard now. But, depending on your Current Customer Service Levels, it is may NOT be a differentiating factor, any longer!

In such a scenario, what does one do!

Well, take it to the next level…. then next and then the next level!

And, what do you get in the process?

Nigel May Barlow says, ‘Legendary Service!‘ (in his book Batteries Included! – Creating Legendary Service). He urges organizations to go beyond “mere customer satisfaction” in today’s insanely competitive markets:

1. Become famous for providing exceptional experiences that customers would want to retell to others: let your customers do the marketing for you.
2. Set stunning new standards for service. Redefine the customer’s expectation of your industry or sector as for example, McDonald, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest Airlines…
3. Create a positive emotional connection with your customers. Customer Relationship is all. The only real asset you have is the quality of your relationship with your customers.
4. Provide Service with a big ‘S’ – legendary for service to the community and environment. Come from a higher sense of purpose for than merely making profits. Enable a culture where your employees find a real sense of meaning through doing a superb job for your customers.

Nigel helpfully suggests an Action Point: STOP NOW and evaluate how your organization matches up, however subjectively, because only then will you really ‘get’ the size of the GAP between where you are now and where you would like to be::

• The Inner Source of Service: Evaluate your employees’ beliefs
• The Customer’s Experience: Evaluate your customers’ feelings: the current Customer Intimacy levels
• Service with a Big ‘S’: Evaluate your contribution to community.

All The Best!